Man arrested after search

Panama City Police block Lisenby Avenue while searching for a suspect in a car burglary Saturday morning.

MICHAEL DUNNING / Facebook.com

By ZACK McDONALD / The News Herald

Published: Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 07:12 PM.

PANAMA CITY — Officers sealed off areas near Stephens Drive in search of an armed man suspected of burglary Saturday morning.

Phillip B. Mathes, 31, was arrested around 11:30 a.m. after a ground search in a wooded area near the railroad tracks off Stephens Drive. A Bay County Sheriff’s Office K-9 and its handler located Mathes.

“The suspect did resist the efforts and commands of officers during his apprehension and received injuries from the K-9 during the arrest,” Panama City Police Department spokesman Lt. Robert Luther wrote in a press release. “He was later treated and released from a local hospital for his injuries and transported to the Bay County Jail.”

A report by the PCPD stated the call was first received at around 9:45 a.m. in reference to a suspect being near the scene of a burglary. The complainant said the man was armed with a handgun. As officers approached a subject who matched the description given by the caller near the scene, he refused commands from the officers and physically resisted efforts to detain him, according to reports. An officer saw a weapon as the suspect reached for it and fled on foot toward the end of Stephens Drive.

Other officers secured the surrounding area and requested assistance from BCSO to help locate and apprehend the suspect.

Mathes was arrested and charged with armed burglary of a vehicle, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with an altered or removed serial number and violation of probation.

Officers recovered a handgun used during this incident from the area where Mathes was arrested along with items taken during the vehicle burglary, according to the report.

PANAMA CITY — Officers sealed off areas near Stephens Drive in search of an armed man suspected of burglary Saturday morning.

Phillip B. Mathes, 31, was arrested around 11:30 a.m. after a ground search in a wooded area near the railroad tracks off Stephens Drive. A Bay County Sheriff’s Office K-9 and its handler located Mathes.

“The suspect did resist the efforts and commands of officers during his apprehension and received injuries from the K-9 during the arrest,” Panama City Police Department spokesman Lt. Robert Luther wrote in a press release. “He was later treated and released from a local hospital for his injuries and transported to the Bay County Jail.”

A report by the PCPD stated the call was first received at around 9:45 a.m. in reference to a suspect being near the scene of a burglary. The complainant said the man was armed with a handgun. As officers approached a subject who matched the description given by the caller near the scene, he refused commands from the officers and physically resisted efforts to detain him, according to reports. An officer saw a weapon as the suspect reached for it and fled on foot toward the end of Stephens Drive.

Other officers secured the surrounding area and requested assistance from BCSO to help locate and apprehend the suspect.

Mathes was arrested and charged with armed burglary of a vehicle, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with an altered or removed serial number and violation of probation.

Officers recovered a handgun used during this incident from the area where Mathes was arrested along with items taken during the vehicle burglary, according to the report.

Police continue to investigate the burglary in the 1300 block of Stephens Drive. Anyone with information in reference to this case is asked to call Detective Schubert or the Panama City Police Department at 850-872-3112. You can also report your tips anonymously to CrimeStoppers at 850-785-TIPS.